Stop, Drop & Roll
by JackofSpade
Summary: Will this basic survival manuever save Jack from serious injury? JS pairing No spoilers Timing is sometimes mid to late Season 3, but not really important
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Thanks to DianeM aka"The Best Beta In The West". Also thanks to SpyMaster and Mariel for invaluable advice and assistance

Disclaimer: Not mine...oh how I wish!

Warnings: A bit of language now and then

Chapter 1 – Taking Chances and Making Choices

Jack felt like he was on top of the world this bright Tuesday morning. He just signed the divorce papers. And, for whatever reason, Maria had actually taken a turn for the better recently and backed off her restrictive limits on his visitation schedule. He could now have the girls two weekends each month along with every other major holiday. He could go to Chicago to be with them or could fly them to New York. As he walked briskly out the front door of the law firm, his wedding band clinked on the glass door handle. Stopping at the sound, he looked at the file in his right hand then looked at the gold band on his left. Smiling with a little resignation and nodding to himself, he slipped the ring off his finger, stuffed it in his shirt pocket and headed to the parking garage. He had a lot to do today and one of those things was to see if a particular blonde headed beauty still harbored any feelings for him. His heart skipped a little bit at that thought, knowing that she could very well shoot him down, but he had to know.

After meetings, interviews and chasing down leads, the day was finally ending. He had a plan and had even practiced a little speech in his head for approaching Samantha. He knew Danny and Vivian had already left for the day and was pretty sure Martin was gone too. But Martin had a bad habit of forgetting to check in at the end of the day, so he couldn't be positive about him. He ventured out to the quiet bullpen and saw her typing furiously on the computer. Feeling like he was in high school, he wiped the sweat off his palms and leaned over the top of her cubicle making sure his now bare left ring finger dangled in plain sight. "Hey" he said casually. Breaking her concentration, she looked up with a slight but confused smile and said, "Hey back at ya." He watched her expression as her eyes fell on his left hand and then quickly shot back to his face. Pleased with what he saw, he got ready to roll the dice and said, "I…umm…I was wondering if you would…um…would…um…what I mean to say is I was wondering if I could take you to dinner." Great he thought to himself….that was soooo smooth Jack. How could she possibly turn that invite down!

Nervously he watched her eyes and thought for a moment they shot past his shoulder and showed something that looked a bit like fear. But they quickly came back to his, as she shook her head no, saying in a hushed tone, "Listen Jack, I'm not sure that is a good idea. He couldn't give up that easily. "Yeah, come on. I'll take you to Luigi's. We can have some wine, great meal, and just talk…it would mean a lot to me, Sam. There is a lot I want to…. no….that I NEED to tell you. Please?"

About that time from behind Jack came the angry voice of Martin saying, " She said 'NO,' Jack. Can't you take a hint? She doesn't want to be with you. You dumped on her one too many times. She is with ME now, so back off." Jack turned and took a step towards Martin. Martin took a step towards Jack. And Samantha hurried to come between them.

Jack's mind was reeling…..Martin! You've got to be kidding me! He looked at Martin then to Samantha then back to Martin who was breathing heavily with a clenched jaw and balled up fists as he glared at Jack. Samantha glanced nervously between the two men squaring off in front of her. Her mouth moved, but nothing came out. Meeting his glare, Jack said smoothly, "No, Martin. I won't back off. I asked Samantha out because we are friends. If you have a problem with that, you need to get over it." Martin was now getting very red as he spat back, " Friends my ass, Jack. You think just because you aren't wearing a wedding ring anymore you can worm your way back into her life? You think you are the right guy for her? That is bullshit, Jack, and you know it."

Jack was incredibly calm and he smirked as he said, "Yeah, I do think I'm the right guy for her. You want to know why, Martin? Because I _know_ her. I know things about her you will never even come close to understanding or finding out. I know why her favorite color is yellow. I know what her mother's middle name is. I know what her favorite movie is and how many times she saw it. I know what commercials make her cry. I know why she hates to fly. I know which toe she broke at Quantico. I know where she learned to swim. I _know_ her Martin and she _knows_ me."

Martin was taken back by his confession-laden speech, but so was Samantha. She couldn't believe this was happening, but it made her angry that Jack did seem to have this attitude that he could waltz right back in and pick up where he left off. On the other hand, she was amazed at his bold announcement, especially to Victor Fitzgerald's son. She felt bad for Martin, who was trying so hard to come to her defense, but she was also mad at him for making the decision of what he thought she do. She realized they were acting like she wasn't even in the damned room!

Suddenly extremely angry, she hissed at Martin, "Do not _ever_ make a decision for me _ever_ again. I'm not your property and I'm not your child." With that, Martin threw up his hands and said, "You know what? Fuck it! You two screwed-up people deserve each other," and he stormed down the stairwell. Turning her attention to Jack, she saw the smug look on his face and she snapped. "You son of a bitch. You think you can throw a fit and get your way every time? Apparently you don't _know_ me as well as you think you do. Just to make sure you clearly understand, you don't own me either. So, what are you going to do next, Jack? Throw a chair through a window to get your way?"

As soon as those words left her lips she was immediately sorry but it was too late. His face went from confident to shocked to crushed in a flash. He was blinking his eyes rapidly and looking around the room at nothing in particular as his body physically trembled. She spun around with her hand to her head and said, "Oh, Jack, I'm so sorry." But she didn't see him duck his head, nod and walk quickly down the hall. When he didn't answer, she turned around in time to see him stepping into the elevator and she ran shouting, "Jack! Wait!" She got to the elevator just as the doors started to slide shut and what she saw ripped her heart out. Jack was crouched in the corner with his head in his hands. She found her voice in time to cry out, "Please……no." He looked up to reveal a face soaked in tears and complete devastation in his eyes. The doors slid closed and she sank to her knees pounding the wall with her fists and crying.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2 – Running Fast and Hard 

When she finally got control of herself, she walked to her desk and quickly dialed a memorized number. "What do you want," Martin snapped on the other end. She physically jerked the phone from her ear, but set her jaw and said, "Martin, I'm sorry. I know that doesn't sound like much, but I certainly never intended to see you get hurt. I know I'm the last person you want to talk to right now, but with what happened tonight, I think we both know this is over. We just aren't meant to be….agreed?" Martin just growled, "Go to hell, Samantha" and hung up.

She vaguely remembered the subway ride, but somehow ended up at her front door. Should she go to his house? Should she call him? She just officially ended it with Martin, but her caustic words most likely ended it with Jack too. She was sad about Martin, but was growing more and more panicky about the thought of what she had just done to Jack. After all, he was obviously trying to show her he still cared and what had he said?…he had so much he needed to tell me. And I go and cut the legs out from under him; the one (and maybe last) person he thought would always be there for him had just blasted him apart. The internal monologue went on and on and served to prove to her that she loved Jack and only Jack. With that dawning, she set out to find him. Of course, he didn't answer his home phone or cell, and she cursed the technology that provided caller ID. Even though it was now 1:30 in the morning, she grabbed her jacket and headed to his house. She figured even if he wouldn't answer the door, he had to come out or come home sooner or later. And she would be sitting right there when he did.

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Jack somehow found his car and made his way home. Her words and anger bombarded his mind, heart and soul. His anguish was so deep that his physical body actually ached. Knowing he could not bear to see her again, he did something he never thought he would do. The once sure and confident Jack Malone ran. He quickly changed into casual clothes, threw some clothes into a bag, yanked the phone cord out of the wall, and shut off his cell phone. Next he opened the small safe in the closet and deposited his badge, credentials and pistol while grabbing the envelope with cash he always kept for emergencies. He grimaced at how he surely never counted on THIS being the reason he would use the cash.

Finally, he wrote a check to cover the next two months rent and headed to the ATM on the corner, dropping the rent check into the manager's night deposit slot as he left the building. Drawing out $500, he flagged a taxi and told the driver to head to Queens as he tried desperately to clear his mind. Once in Queens he instructed the driver to drop him off at the bus station. After the taxi rounded the corner, he flagged another Yellow Cab and asked him to drive to the nearest car rental location.

It was now pushing three in the morning. He was amazed and a bit disgusted at himself and his actions and he was exhausted mentally, physically and emotionally. Knowing full well they would probably start a search sometime tomorrow or maybe even later today, he realized he was trying to disappear without a trace. It was ironic that this was a team of the best missing persons agents he knew…..ones he had personally coached and trained for the past several years. He had to chuckle sourly that it might really only be Danny and Viv looking for him, thinking Martin would be thrilled to put his file in the cold case cabinet…and Samantha, well, she had told him goodbye.

His mind flashed to the bullpen and he saw his photo on the white board by the conference table. He heard Viv say, "John Michael Malone also known as Jack Malone, age 45, Supervisory Special Agent with New York's Missing Persons Unit for the past 12 years. Recently divorced father of two. Ex-wife and children now living in Chicago. Last seen leaving this office last night around 9:30 pm after a heated altercation with Special Agents Martin Fitzgerald and Samantha Spade. The altercation apparently centered on Jack's undying love for Samantha and his attempt to rebuild a romantic relationship. He reportedly was completely devastated and lost after the altercation." He snapped out of it when the cabbie said, "Hey, mister, that'll be $15 bucks."

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Samantha sat on the floor in the hallway in front of Jack's apartment for the past two hours with her mind running wild, and it was now 4 am. She suddenly cursed herself for not thinking more clearly. He wouldn't have come home because that is the first place anyone would have looked. Hopefully he was just passed out in a bar somewhere and not wandering the streets making himself a target. She decided to go home and try to get at least a few hours sleep before work. She thought that maybe he'd drag in later in the day and she could force him to listen to her apology and beg for his forgiveness.

By 7:30 am she had been at her desk for an hour when Danny breezed in with his usual cheery good morning, followed shortly by Vivian. They both couldn't help but notice that Samantha seemed incredibly jumpy, looked like hell, and kept glancing down the hallway toward the elevator banks. To add to the weirdness of the situation, Jack still wasn't in and Martin called in sick around 8:30. By ten o'clock Danny and Vivian were sharing more nervous glances and thought Samantha was going to explode, but she wouldn't say a thing—not even to Danny. Suddenly, Van Doren came around the corner and snapped, "Spade. My office….NOW."

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Jack was thankful an all-night diner was directly across the street from the car rental office, which didn't open until 7 am. He sat lost in his thoughts downing scalding hot coffee and picking at the #2 sunrise special he'd ordered. It seemed like days since she buried him, but it had only been a little over nine hours. He rubbed his hand over his face and felt the scratch of whisker stubble on his palm, but didn't think twice about it. Finally, he saw movement across the street and someone opening the office. He dropped some cash on the table, gathered his meager belongings and dodged traffic to the other side.

A young lady, who looked to be in her early twenties, smiled brightly behind the counter. Jack noticed her nametag identified her as Cindy – Assistant Manager. "What can I do for you sir?" she asked with a warm smile. Jack tried his best to put on a pleasant face and said, "I need to rent a vehicle for an extended period of time. Probably a month or two." She replied, " We can sure help you with that, sir. What type of vehicle are you looking for? We are running a special on Jeeps right now. With a long-term rental discount, I can probably get you in one of those for about $600 per month." Jack quickly thought about it….Jeep….mountains….remote…and replied, "that would be perfect." "Super!" she said and started tapping away on her computer.

Jack wandered over to a rack with a variety of maps when Cindy asked, "Where will you be staying, sir?" He stiffened slightly and thought to himself he couldn't tell her he would be in hell for quite some time. So he said, "Um…I'm not really too sure right now. Do you know anything about some remote cabins up north? I could use some quiet time away from the city". He smiled as warmly as possible and hoped he was convincing. She regarded him slowly, and then said, "I'm not too familiar with the mountain area, but Jennifer grew up there. Maybe she can help. Let me go get her for you." Cindy went to the back and told Jennifer about the guy up front, describing him as this really dark, rugged and handsome dude looking for some information on cabins in the mountains.

Jennifer jumped at the chance to take a peek at this guy and walked up front with Cindy. After helping him with general information about the area, Cindy asked if he could just call her when he got settled in somewhere. She knew it was totally against policy, but something about his eyes told her this man needed a break. After tapping on the computer some more Cindy said, " Okay, sir, all I need now is a credit card and photo ID." Jack's mind quickly calculated the risk. Knowing all too well how easily a credit card could be traced, he asked, "I will be paying cash up front. Do you still need the credit card?" as he handed her his drivers license.

She suddenly found herself totally lost in his dark eyes that held such incredible sadness but almost a hint of something that could have been taken as fear. She heard herself breaking company policy for the second time in a matter of minutes saying, " Well, I need to record the number, but I won't run it since you are paying cash, Mr. Malone." He smiled his thanks as she handed him the contracts to sign and the keys. He in turn gave her $1,250 in cash, grabbed the maps, and headed out to find a white Jeep in slot 22. Jennifer and Cindy stood looking out the window as Jack drove off the lot. Cindy commented, " It's a shame that a man that handsome seems so lonely." Jennifer quietly nodded her head in agreement.

TBC


	3. Chapter 3

A/N - Thanks for the reviews! I hope to have two chapters up this week.

Chapter 3 – Pursuit Under The Gun

Samantha's heart jumped into her throat at Van Doren's command, and she stole a nervous glance over at Vivian and Danny as she hurried down the hall. Barely in her office, Van Doren growled, " Sit." Pacing with her hands on her hips, she finally said with controlled rage, "Agent Spade, I just received a rather short and cryptic message from Agent Malone. He said he was quitting. He gave me a combination to a safe in his house where I could go pick up his weapon, badge and credentials. He told me not to send a team to find him." She let the news settle and watched Samantha's face blanche as she hung her head. Starting again, she said, "Agent Spade, what the hell happened last night? I checked the security logs. Agent Malone left about 9:30 pm. Willy at the security desk said he was a mess. You left about 10 pm in what Willy described as a "whirlwind."

Samantha could hear her heart pounding in her ears. She certainly never counted on this. She knew she cut him bad, but never thought he would leave the FBI. With her heart in shambles, but painfully aware of Van Doren's angry glare boring into her, she raised her eyes and said, "Agent Van Doren, I need to take a few days personal leave. Please." Van Doren studied the young agent's scared but pleading eyes and with a softer voice said, "Today is Wednesday. If you are not back by Monday morning, you will be terminated and I will process Agent Malone's discharge papers." Samantha swallowed hard, thanked her and headed for the door. Van Doren's voice stopped her before she left as she said, "Go find him, Samantha, and bring him back. We _all_ need him here."

Almost running back to the bullpen, she told Danny and Vivian she was taking some personal time and turned to go. But Danny said angrily, " Oh no you don't, sister! You owe us some explanations. What the hell is going on around here?" Vivian took a softer role and said, "Samantha, come sit down and talk to us. I know you need help. Maybe we can give it to you." She sighed, slumped into her chair and poured out, " You're right. I'm sorry. Last night Jack asked me out to dinner, but Martin overheard him and went all protective commando. I thought they were going to tear into each other." She shook her head at the memory and continued. "Anyway, I ripped into Martin and he stormed off. And then……I ripped into Jack and well; I said something in anger that hurt him very deeply. He left before I could stop him and apologize. I waited at his apartment until four this morning, but he never showed. I was hoping he would finally come in so I could talk to him." By now her voice was quivering heavily and her eyes were misty but she went on, " He called Van Doren and said he was quitting. She has given me till Monday morning to find him before she processes his paperwork."

Vivian and Danny sat stunned at her revelation. Samantha moved first and said, "I can't just sit here. I have to go find him. I have to make this right" and she turned to leave. But Vivian stood and said, "Wait. You can't do this by yourself. There are too many angles to check and not very much time. I will start running his financials. He will have to have cash or use his credit cards to go wherever he is going. Danny, you start with transportation hubs. Check the airports, bus stations, and trains. I'm sure he didn't take the government-issued car; it's too easy to track. Samantha, you canvass the area around his apartment. Someone might have seen him leave." As she talked, Vivian pulled out the protocol file and handed each of them an 8x10 and 5x7 photo of Jack. This was Samantha's undoing as she struggled mightily to keep her emotions in check when she saw the picture. Vivian stole a glance at Danny and said, "Look, the procedure is the same. We need to get a sense of how big a lead he has on us." Danny nodded in agreement and said, " You know, Jack is going to use every trick in the book to stay below the radar screen. If anyone knows how, he does." They all nodded quietly, then turned to the tasks at hand.

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Jack drove for a few hours up Route 37 and was relieved to be putting the city farther behind him. The towns were getting farther and farther apart and getting less populated as he traveled. He pulled over in a little town called Pleasanton and found a café with gas pumps out front. After filling up the Jeep, he settled into a booth and was studying his map when the waitress said, " Where you heading, good lookin'?" He smiled slightly and said, " Not sure really, but some place quiet and off the beaten path." She nodded slowly and said, "I know what you mean. Let me see your map for a sec." She traced her finger a little over a path then said, " This map isn't very detailed for the mountains. Let me get you one over here by the counter and show you a few nice places you might be interested in."

She returned shortly with a detailed regional map and pointed saying, " Here, this little place called Lindseyton is really pretty and it isn't more than a couple of hours from here. Why don't I get you today's blue plate special while you think about it." Jack thanked her as she headed to the kitchen and he absently looked at the map figuring Lindseyton was as good as any place to officially collapse. After picking at his roast beef dinner, he was heading out the door when the waitress told him, "Mister, I don't know what is haunting you, and it surely isn't any of my business. But, whatever happened or whatever someone said, if they know how miserable they made you, they will want to make it right." Jack swallowed hard, nodded his head, and headed back on the road towards Lindseyton.

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Samantha had talked to nearly everyone in Jack's building, showing his picture over and over, but no one claimed to have seen a thing. Reluctantly, and only after seeing her badge, did the manager tell her he found a check from Mr. Malone to cover the next two months rent in the night depository. He also reluctantly opened Jack's apartment for her and stood aside. Samantha suddenly realized she had never been in his apartment. As she tentatively stepped in, it was obvious from the looks of things that Maria took every decent piece of furniture. The apartment was furnished with only the bare necessities. The kitchen trash held a wide assortment of take–out containers, the drawers of the chest in his bedroom were pulled out and mostly empty and it appeared that only casual clothes were missing. When she saw the phone cord jerked from the wall, she actually touched the phone softly and said to herself, "I'm so sorry. I need to talk to you so badly."

Her cell phone jerked her back to reality as she answered quickly, "Spade." Vivian spoke, "Any luck canvassing the apartment?" "No," she sighed, "I'm hitting a dead end in here. Danny was right about him being careful." Viv tapped her pencil and said, "Well, I might have something. Jack withdrew $500 from an ATM at the corner of Bowery and Chambers at 11:45 last night. We got the tape and we can see him flagging a taxi down. The tech guys did a great job and picked up cab # 430 on a Yellow Cab. Go track this cabbie down and see what he remembers." Samantha saw a glimmer of hope and asked, "What about Danny. Any luck on public transportation?" "No, nothing yet," Viv said, " but he is working the airports first. Said he would call as soon as he found something."

After several frustrating and precious hours, Samantha finally found the driver of cab # 430: Mr. Habib Moustelyilla. After flashing her badge, she showed Habib Jack's picture and could tell immediately he recognized him. Her heart beat a little faster and Habib asked, "What this guy do? He bad guy or what?" Samantha pressed, " Where did you take him last night?" After thinking about it, Habib answered, " He not say much. First I think he not know where he go. But finally he want bus station." Samantha physically leaned closer to the cabbie as she asked firmly, "_ Which_ station." Habib grinned, " Oh yes. Guess that be helpful. New York has many bus stations. This man want the one in Queens. I take him to Jackson Heights."

Thanking the cabbie, Samantha quickly phoned Danny, " Hey, the cabbie from the ATM says he took Jack to a bus station in Jackson Heights." Danny listened then said, "Okay, great. I got nothing at the airports, but I figured that might be the case. He wouldn't want his name on a flight manifest. Why don't you come to the office so we can re-group?" Reluctantly, Samantha agreed. Although she didn't want to leave the field, especially after getting a lead, she knew following procedure was the best….Jack taught her that. Glancing at her watch, she was shocked at how late itwas getting and she hurried back to the office to meet with Danny and Vivian.

TBC


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 – Hiding As Best He Can 

Jack saw the sign announcing the city limits of Lindseyton and kicked the Jeep off of cruise control. It would be dark soon and he was exhausted. Pulling into the little town, he quickly surveyed the street and saw a barbershop, realty office, grocery mart, diner, and re-sale shop. Great he thought, no hotel in sight. His growling stomach helped him decide to head for the diner, feeling certain someone could make a recommendation on lodging. He walked in to the small but neat little place called Lillie's Diner. An older woman smiled and asked, " Table or booth?" After handing him a menu she said, "I'm Lillie. If you are hungry, I recommend the chicken fried steak. If not, I make a mean smoked turkey sandwich."

Jack looked at her through bleary eyes and told her a sandwich with coffee would be fine. Lillie was immediately struck by the sadness in the handsome man's eyes. She saw a lot of people come and go through her little diner, and she recognized suffering and sorrow when she saw it. The beginnings of a beard also told her this man was on the run. The question was what was he running from?

When she returned with his food, she tried to ask casually, "You just passing through or staying a while?" Jack regarded her for a bit, then looked away and softly answered, "I plan on staying a while, but didn't see much in the way of lodging when I came into town. I'd like something quiet. Need to re-charge my batteries. Any suggestions?" This time Lillie watched him for a while then said, "A friend of mine named Bob has some nice little cabins a few miles from here near a lake. Very pretty area…and off the beaten path. Someone would have to be looking pretty hard to find you." Jack looked back at the woman and tried to figure out if she would be trouble for him, but saw nothing but what looked like concern. Nodding his head, he mumbled, "Sounds like me. How do I find this place?" Lillie tore off a sheet from her order tablet and started sketching a map while saying, " It's easy to find.

Go up here two more blocks and turn left on Maple Street. Go on out about 10 miles; it's a real scenic drive. You will see a sign for Bob's Cabins on your left. Tell him Lillie sent you and he will take good care of you. If you want, I can call him right now so he will be expecting you." Nodding Jack said, " That would be good if you don't mind." "Not at all" she said. " Who should I tell him is coming?" Without thinking he started to say, "Jaa….John, tell him my name is John." Lillie was intrigued by this man and said, "Sure, John; be right back."

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By the time Samantha got back to the office, it was getting dark. Her frustration was starting to get to her as she snapped at the cleaning lady for leaving her cart in the middle of the hall. Of course, if she hadn't been running, she wouldn't have tripped on it either. She saw Danny and Vivian huddled over a TV screen and walked up in time to see a grainy black and white image of Jack leaving an ATM. Her heart broke at the image of his face that was drawn and etched with anguish.

Danny saw Samantha and quickly turned it off. Vivian said, " Well, other than the cash withdrawal, there has not been any other financial activity of any kind. I have tracers on everything he has, but he must of had more cash available…..$500 won't go very far. But, we don't know how much he has and if he stretches the cash, it may be days before we get another hit." Danny spoke up, " Of course, the airlines were clear, and I started with bus stations, but only the ones in the city." It was Samantha's turn and she reported, " The cabbie made a positive ID and was sure he dropped him at the bus station in Jackson Heights. I'm heading out there right now and see what I can find." Danny volunteered to go with her, sending Vivian home for the evening.

The ride to the bus station was quiet as Samantha's mind was churning and Danny knew he couldn't push too hard. When they got to the station, Samantha tripped over a homeless guy on the front steps who was trying to get inside. They split up and asked all the employees if they remembered seeing the man in the photo late last night or early this morning. They said he would have purchased a ticket with cash and would have been traveling with a medium-sized duffel bag.

One particular ticket agent—who looked to be about 16, had magenta-colored, spiked hair, black fingernails and a pierced nose—said, " Ya know, you just described like 85 percent of the droids that come through here. I would've remembered this dude 'cause he ain't like our normal customers if ya know what I mean. He looks pretty stud-ly." She snapped her gum loudly and continued looking directly at Samantha, " He your man or something and he run out on ya? Shame on you, girlfriend, 'cause if I had something like that to hang on to I wouldn't let him outta my sight." Samantha blushed but couldn't find her tongue to speak. Danny stepped in and said, " Thanks for your help, miss" and steered Samantha to the car.

Stunned by the girl's comment, Samantha slowly looked at Danny and said, " She's right. I've been letting my foolish pride get in the way of doing the right thing. Jack is what I want to hang on to, Danny. I know you disagree, but now that he is gone, it is so clear to me. Even if Van Doren does can me on Monday, I don't care. I will keep looking till I find him. And when I do, I'm never letting go again." Danny was shocked, " What do you mean about Van Doren firing you on Monday? And even though I did not approve of you and Jack before, things are different now and you've never had that look in your eyes before." Samantha squeezed her friend's hand and said, "I guess I forgot to mention that if I'm not at work by Monday, I'm toast. And thanks. Your support means a lot to me, Danny." Reluctantly, they headed back to Manhattan with Danny dropping her off at home. "Get some rest. We will start early again in the morning."

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Jack saw the arrow indicating he had found Bob's Cabins and pulled in to the driveway. A short, round, slightly balding man came out and firmly shook Jack's hand, then said, "You must be John. Lillie told me to be expecting you. I'm Bob." Jack tried his best to smile and said, " Pleased to meet you. I'm looking for about a two-month rental. Nothing too big. It is just me. Do you have anything available?" Bob grinned back and said, "Not a problem, friend. Just follow me right up the road here and we will get you all situated." After a short drive up a steep hill, a small cabin came into view. Bob hustled out to open the door and turn on a few lights. Jack followed, setting his duffel bag on the couch and looking around.

It was a small cabin, but had everything he needed. Jack was vaguely aware of Bob going through a long list of amenities. He was just so exhausted and really just wanted to shower and close his eyes. Bob sensed he was talking for nothing at this stranger who seemed so decent, yet incredibly troubled. So, he headed back out on to the porch and shook Jack's hand, telling him he would be by tomorrow to check on him. Jack walked down the steps with him and was just about to take the last one when Bob said, " Oh yes! If you take that little path right over there, it leads down to a gorgeous little lake. There is a canoe down there for you use if you like. The lake is called Sam's Lake." At the sound of her name, Jack missed the last step and crumbled to the ground. Bob hurried back to help him up, but Jack waived him off. "Just leave me alone….please," he said as he tried to control the crushing feeling in his chest.

Jack moved numbly into the cabin and found the bottle of whiskey Bob had just pointed out. He poured a drink, swirled the amber liquid slowly, raised his glass to toast the empty room, and downed it in one gulp. He grimaced as the burn made its way down his throat, but poured another while carrying the bottle and glass to the bedroom as he stretched out on the bed. As he poured drink after drink, he also poured out his soul to the empty cabin.

He spoke aloud things he kept unsaid and buried deep inside. Things like how sorry he was that his girls would grow up without him; that he ruined a career and let it consume him; that he couldn't forgive his father for not taking care of his mother; and that he lost his soul mate and the one true love in his life. As inebriation took a hold of his mind and he lost the battle to stay coherent, he smiled drunkenly to himself and realized he felt oddly at peace while still ashamed that his life had come to this mess. He raised his glass for one last toast saying, "Here's to you Sam. I will always love you." And then he passed out.

TBC


	5. Chapter 5

Thanks to everyone hanging in there with me on this little "saga". Reviews make me break out in a huge grin :) I need to warn you there is a bit of raunchy language in this chapter...be aware!

As you left last, Jack was trying to drink Samantha off his mind...

**Chapter 5 – Time Is Slipping Away**

It was 3 am on Thursday morning as Samantha tossed and turned restlessly, trying desperately to sleep. She couldn't shake the haunting images of Jack's face as the elevator doors slid shut and as he turned from the ATM. A whole day had gone by and the only lead they had seemed to freeze at the bus station. But he had been there. The cabbie confirmed that fact. So what happened? Where did he go? What did he do?

Thinking of possibilities from a man trying to disappear, Samantha brainstormed. He could have easily paid someone else to purchase a ticket for him, so no one inside would recognize him. She could get a list of departure destinations and get his picture out to the drivers on those routes. The employees at the station weren't Magna Cum Laudes. Perhaps someone was there earlier and sold him a ticket, but no one bothered to tell them of a shift change. She decided she would go back in the morning and ask more questions. Someone had to see him. Like the girl with the magenta hair said, he stuck out in that crowd. She chided herself saying, " Think, Samantha! Think!"

In a few hours, she was back at the bus terminal showing Jack's picture around. She hoped to get more angles to work on before reporting to Danny and Vivian. But again, no one remembered anyone that even faintly resembled the man in the photo. Frustrated and ready to bang her fist against the wall, she shoved her way outside and again almost tripped over the same homeless guy from the day before. Mumbling her apologies, she headed for the car when she stopped in her tracks. That guy is here all the time….right in the front door! Spinning quickly, she flashed her badge and said, "Have you seen this guy around here?" The old man looked at the picture for some time, then slowly looked back at Samantha and said, "You know, I live right here. This doorstep is my home unless the cops hassle me to move every now and then. I remember everyone who comes to my house. Yeah, I remember him. In a real hurry he was."

Samantha's heart started beating quicker and she tried to control her voice when she asked, "Did you see where he went?" The old man smiled and said, "He was a sneaky one. Jumped out of one cab. Waited for it to leave, then jumped into another. Hee-hee-hee. Would've given anyone the slip with that move. Well, not me 'cause I see everything that goes on at my house." Her hands were trembling now and she could no longer control her voice when she asked, "Did you hear where he was going?" "Sure," he said. "I might be old, but my hearing is just fine. He wanted to go to rent a car." Samantha was sure her ears would explode from the pounding of her heart. Almost losing her senses completely and hugging the man, she quickly fished out a pile of bills from her pocket, pressed them to his hands, and said, "Thank you. You have no idea how much you just helped me",and ran to the car.

As she sped to her apartment, it all made perfect sense, but she kicked herself for not doing the first thing that Jack had taught her. Work from the inside out. Once you find out who the person is, odds are you can find out where they are. Who knew Jack better than her? And yet she forgot a key piece of his personality makeup. Jack was used to being in control, and even though he was trying to stay under the radar screen, public transportation wouldn't let him be in control. But, a rental car gave him freedom and total control of when and where he moved. Jack might be wounded, but he was still making sharp decisions. Of course, that realization made her lip tremble. He was going to great lengths to keep from seeing her again. She stuggled to keep her emotions in check and said to herself, "Yeah well, Jack, you can run but you can't hide….not from me. I need you in my life and I won't stop till I find you."

She called the office and breathlessly filled Vivian in on her lead and told her she was heading to her apartment for an overnight bag. Once she found the rental company, she didn't want to waste time coming back to the city. Vivian said she would start running all rental companies in the vicinity of the bus station and get back to her. As soon as Danny got in, they would head out and help canvass the agencies. It was only 7:30 when she got back to her apartment and quickly packed her bag for several days. Turning to head out the door, she suddenly stopped and realized Jack didn't want to see her again much less talk to her. When she found him, how was she going to get his attention and make him listen? Smiling shrewdly to herself she went back into her bedroom and fished something out of her underwear drawer and stuffed it into her travel bag. "If you've got it…flaunt it, Samantha Spade," she said out loud and hurried for the car.

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Jack slowly opened his bloodshot eyes and tried to focus on his surroundings. Things seemed vaguely familiar but he couldn't place where he was. It was very quiet save for the extreme pounding in his head. He tried to swallow, but his mouth tasted like dirty gym socks. Rubbing his face and hair, the stubble on his chin and cheeks was getting heavy. Suddenly, a wave of nausea hit him and he dashed to a door that seemed like it was a bathroom. Losing the meager contents of his stomach and the booze from last night, he washed his face and looked at the complete stranger staring back at him.

Slowly his mind flashed pieces of memory. Her razor sharp words, taxi rides, rental car, diners, mountains, this cabin; Jack had finally hit the end of his rope and ran. After convincing himself he could safely leave the bathroom, he moved around the little cabin and found a coffeemaker in the kitchen. He made a pot and wandered out to the front porch. Slumping into a chair he surveyed his surroundings and sipped the hot liquid. Despite feeling like microwaved dog shit, he enjoyed the crisp cool breeze blowing softly through the trees and thought the area was pleasing. He looked down and realized his clothes were rumbled and a bit gamey. Checking his watch, he let his foggy mind process the information and realized it was Thursday morning and he was still in his clothes from Tuesday night.

He said to himself, "Well you've hit rock bottom, Malone. Time to work on getting back up." So he went inside and took a long, hot shower and brushed his teeth violently, then dressed in faded jeans, hiking boots and a worn shirt. He unpacked his bags and carried his shaving kit into the bathroom. But after holding the razor and staring at his dark and quickly thickening beard for quite some time, he decided to let that be the first thing he changed and tossed the razor.

Now that his stomach had settled from tossing his cookies earlier, he decided to try some food. After doing a quick inventory in the cabin, he headed back into Lindseyton for some breakfast, groceries and supplies. Even though he felt he had done a good job in covering his tracks, he didn't want to be seen by too many people in town. He was surprised at the introspective of his behavior—somewhere between lost and fugitive. He decided Lillie's was the best bet for breakfast, so he headed there first, parking a few blocks away and off the main drag. Walking down the street, he passed a small retail shop and spied baseball caps in the window. Running his fingers through his hair, he stepped in and picked out a black one that had a fish embroidered on it while actually chuckling at his choice of color. He thought to himself that this would be his new "black suit". He quickly paid the clerk, rolled the brim in his hands, tugged the cap on his head and continued down the street to Lillie's.

When he walked in the diner, Lillie smiled quickly and said, "Good morning, John. Did Bob get you settled in?" Jack removed his cap and said, " Yes. Thanks for the recommendation." Settling ina booth at the back with a clear view of the front door, Jack sat quietly waiting for his order. He finished his breakfast, drawing a comment from Lillie that he seemed to have found his appetite again and that was a good start. Her simple words and observation struck a cord and he swallowed hard, trying to keep the instant lump in his throat from growing. Looking down he mumbled, " Yes, I guess so," and left a generous amount on the table as he moved to leave.

Lillie's next words stopped him cold as she said, " Don't worry, John. Whatever your secret is, it is safe with me. I won't tell anyone you are here." He turned slowly and met her eyes, seeing nothing but compassion and honesty. Again, the depth of sadness in his eyes touched her heart and she couldn't resist softly touching his arm and telling him, " Everything happens for a reason. If you are meant to be found, they will find you. If not, I can always use a dependable busboy around here," and with that she was happy to see his slight but genuine smile.

TBC


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6 – And The Eyes Have It 

Samantha pulled over when Vivian called with a list of rental car agencies in a 20-mile radius of the Jackson Heights bus terminal. She wrote down seven names and addresses and nodded as Vivian explained that Danny and her would split the remaining names on the list. Heading to the first one on the list, she started the routine of showing Jack's picture and asking if they had seen him anytime since early Wednesday morning. Striking out on the first three, she got caught in a traffic jam for a full hour and thought she was going to kill someone. Danny and Viv reported throughout the day, but never with any good news.

At the fourth place on the list a man behind the counter said, " Yeah, I think this guy was here the other day," causing Samantha's mind to kick into another gear. She asked, " Are you sure? It is very important." He studied the photo again and said, "I dunno, but let me get Julie from the back. She thought he was hot and tried like hell to get his cell number." Samantha actually felt herself get jealous as she waited for this Julie person to come up front. But, after looking at Jack's picture she scoffed, "Dude! What were you thinking? This guy is way better looking than the guy the other day. I would have pulled out all the stops for a guy who looked like this."

Samantha snatched the photo back, grunted a thanks, and stomped back to the car. It was getting late on Thursday evening as she leaned her forehead wearily against the steering wheel. Time was going by quickly and the team was turning up nothing. She pounded the steering wheel and yelled, "Damn it Jack! I'm sorry. Okay? Give me a break here!" She then touched the photo and vowed, " You are crazy if you think I will give up," and pulled out into traffic heading to number five on the list.

Wearily showing the photo to the young man behind the counter and asking the same questions again, the young man said, "I wasn't working on Wednesday, but let me get Cindy. She is the assistant manager and was in charge that day." As soon as Cindy looked at the photo, Samantha's trained observation skills saw immediate recognition cross her face, but she handed the picture back saying, " No, sorry. I've never seen this man before." Samantha pressed, "Look, Cindy. This man has gone missing and we know he rented a car in this area. Take another look. It is very important that we find him." Samantha caught her eyes and almost pleaded, "Please help me if you can."

Something in the way Samantha's voice cracked caused Cindy to ask the beautiful blonde agent, "Why are you looking for him? He looks like a nice guy that wouldn't hurt anyone." With that comment Samantha knew he had been here and her hands trembled as her FBI agent facade gave way to a broken and desperate heart. She answered honestly, "He is my boss, my best friend and someone I care for very much. I made a huge mistake and I have to find him to make it right. Please, tell me what you know." Her voice was almost a whisper by then. Cindy nodded slowly and said, "Yes, he was here early Wednesday morning. Let me get the rental contract."

Samantha's heart was beating at a fever pitch as she finally got what she hoped to be a solid lead. When Cindy came back with the contract, Samantha scanned it quickly and immediately recognized his signature. She looked for the place of contact and found it empty. Puzzled she asked, "You are positive he rented this Jeep?" Cindy replied, "Yes, what is wrong?" "Well," Samantha said, "we have been tracing all credit card activity and nothing has shown up from your company. Don't you require a credit card for all rentals? And, the place of contact is not completed. Isn't that required too?"

Cindy averted her eyes and said sheepishly, "Look, he paid cash for two months up front, so I told him I would record his card number but not run it. And, I told him he could let me know when he got where he was going. Look, Agent Spade, this guy had the saddest eyes of anyone I've ever seen. I figured he could really use a break, so I gave him one. I didn't mean any harm. I just couldn't give those eyes any more bad news."

Now it was Samantha's turn to avert her eyes as she said softly, "No, there is no problem. Jack's natural charm is pretty unavoidable. Did he say anything that would give me at least a hint of where he was heading?" Cindy's face lit up now, eager to help this woman who was urgently trying to find her love. "Jennifer showed him some remote places up in the mountains. He took Route 37 north, but he didn't say exactly where he was going--only that he was looking for some place quiet." Samantha thanked them heartily and ran to her car. It would be dark soon, but the more ground she covered the closer she would be in the morning.

Suddenly energized, she called the office to report to Danny and Vivian and was shocked to hear Martin answer the phone. "Oh, hey, Martin, is Danny or Viv around?" she asked. He gruffly told her to wait and when Danny came on the line she said, "I see he is taking all this well." Danny smiled at her comment and said, "Apparently you are a hard one to lose. We have our supervisor on the run and junior stomping around here like he can't go to the prom and his daddy took away the keys to the Mustang." She rolled her eyes and then excitedly told him of her lead. He asked her to wait for him but she said she was already on the road and needed to take it from here by herself. After promising to check in every so often, she sent her sincere thanks to him and Viv for all their help.

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Jack went back to the Jeep and pulled it around closer to Buddy's Grocery Mart. Lillie's words kept ringing in his ears, "_Everything happens for a reason_." I guess this happened to make me see she doesn't have any feelings for me anymore. I waited too long and blew my one big chance in life. But then he saw his little girls' faces and convinced himself they were worth the fight. The internal monologue thankfully ended as he began picking up some basic food and cleaning items. He picked up an ice chest and a bag of ice to keep things cold on the trip back to the cabin. Once he got everything squared away, he ventured down to the lake and sat down on a rock ledge and let his mind relax. He smiled ironically at the thought that he was sitting beside Sam's Lake. Even when he tried to run, she was always around him. The warm sun continued to relax his exhausted body and he nodded off for a while but woke with a start when he heard voices.

He recognized Bob with a young boy coming down the path. Bob introduced him to his grandson and asked if everything was okay in the cabin. Jack assured him it was just fine. Bob reminded him there was some fishing equipment in the closet he was welcome to use and headed on down the path with his grandson. Jack spent the rest of the day hiking around the lake and even built a fire when he got back to the cabin. His mind did feel a little rested and the ache in his heart at least had dulled. He went to pour a drink, but remembered how shitty he felt that morning and decided to pass. He told himself out loud, "No Jack, you are going to have to get over her sober. You already ran. You can't hide now in a bottle." Night fell quietly as he sat on the porch and listened to the sounds of nature. That night, he actually slept pretty well, only waking a dozen or so times when he thought he heard her voice.

TBC


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Thanks so much to Serataja, Mariel3, JJBird, Makemyday, Pealee and AgentSpade for the constant feedback and reviews. I hope to post a little quicker these next few days...I think it is gettng time for her to find him g>

**Chapter 7 – Getting Closer?**

Samantha drove hard up Route 37, stopping at every little town along the way. She showed his picture to everyone in all the logical spots like gas stations, diners, and convenience stores, but to no avail. Realizing the little towns were getting more sparse, she decided to stop for the night at the next little place. Checking her map, it looked like Pleasanton was about an hour up the road. She would rest for the night and continue early in the morning. She was never one for superstitions, but she had the weirdest sense that she was going the right direction…that Jack had recently been down this same road and that she would soon find him. As she pulled into the Motel 6 in Pleasanton, she let her mind wander to his reaction. She smiled confidently, knowing he would crush her in hugs and kisses and they could promise each other never to hurt again. She drifted in and out of sleep, feeling confident but nervous about tomorrow.

The next morning, Samantha went to a local diner for a quick bite to eat before hitting the road. She had her notes and map spread out on the table along with Jack's picture when the waitress brought her order. Samantha caught her staring at Jack's picture, so she asked, "Does he look familiar?" The waitress snapped her eyes to Samantha's and tried to determine if this gorgeous woman was the reason the good looking guy was running or if it was just her job to find him and cause him more grief that he didn't need.

When the waitress stumbled with her answer, Samantha knew she was on the right track and he had been here. Seems he was impacting everyone along his way, even though he was desperately trying to be invisible. Jack had total strangers from Queens to Pleasanton falling for his sad eyes,wounded charm, and lying to a federal officer to protect him. She smiled softly and understood how easily it was to fall for Jack Malone. She was pretty sure she started her fall the first day she walked inthe Missing Persons unit to interview.

Samantha said, "Miss, I care very much for this man, but I did something extremely foolish and hurt him. I'm trying to find him and apologize—trying to win him back—but I'm running out of time. If you know where he went, I would really appreciate your help." The waitress figured the FBI agent wasn't the only one who was good at reading faces. In her line of work, she saw plenty across her counter. And, this young woman's face told her she meant the good-looking man no harm. "I told him Lindseyton was a good place to get away from it all. Don't know if he went there, but he didn't have a plan until then." Then the waitress continued, saying, "It's none of my business, but that man doesn't need any more grief. I sure hope me telling you this doesn't cause him more." Samantha squeezed her hand and gathered her papers saying, "I promise I intend to do nothing but take his grief away," and she headed to Lindseyton.

Once in town, she wasted no time asking around if anyone had seen him. Everyone she talked to at the grocery store, realty office, re-sale shop and park all said no, but she sensed they weren't telling her the truth. Her years of reading faces and profiling told her that much; however, she also learned it is hard to make people talk if they didn't want to. Her frustrations were mounting because she knew she was close, but she was faced with a town that was protecting a total stranger. That thought caused her to pause. Total strangers seemed to be more in tune with Jack than she had been, and she was supposed to be his best friend and confidante. She pushed back feelings ofdefeat and felteven more desperate to find him.

She chided herself saying, "Okay, Samantha, think! Where would Jack go in this place at least more than once?" Her eyes scanned the main street and fell on a small sign that identified Lillie's Diner. Feeling like Sherlock Holmes, she said aloud with a smile, "Coffee!" and walked briskly toward the diner. An older woman regarded her with what Samantha thought looked like suspicious eyes, but then she figured she was letting her imagination run away with her. She settled into a booth and ordered the soup/sandwich combination and a diet Dr. Pepper.

When the waitress came back, she thought she would try a different tact and not show the picture but instead said, "Um…I was wondering if you could help me? I'm looking for a friend of mine who came up here for some time off, but he didn't tell me where he was staying. He has dark hair and dark eyes, a thick, muscular body, average height, clean-shaven and very quiet. He would have hit town a day or two ago." She tried to sound casual, but saw the defenses go up immediately with the waitress. The waitress's reply was also an attempt at sounding casual when she said, "No, doesn't sound familiar and I see most folks that come into town."

Samantha gave a conciliatory smile and looked down. She picked at her food but couldn't find an appetite. It was Friday at 1 pm and the clock seemed to be ticking faster with her running out of ideas and leads. Feeling her world closing in, she slipped his picture out of the folder and stared into his eyes.

She remembered the day when she went down with him to take the protocol head shots in HR. You would have thought he was going to have most of his teeth pulled out. She remembered how adorable he was as he feigned arrogance and asked her how his hair looked before he went in. She had told him it was sticking out a bit and jumped at the chance to run her fingers through it while pretending to smooth it out. She remembered how his dark eyes locked onto her as they stood close together, not knowing what to do next. He had slowly reached up and run his fingers through her hair and told her 'thank you' in a tone that made her knees buckle, her breath leave, and her heart stop.

A teardrop hit the picture and made her come to the present. She tried to dab the next tear dry before it fell, but they were suddenly falling too fast to stop. Feeling defeated and so alone, she gave up the fight, hung her head and just cried.

The waitress watched her closely the whole time, then slowly approached and said, "You must be the reason his eyes are so sad." Samantha looked up and tried to get a hold of herself and, confused at what the waitress had said, she asked, "Excuse me? I didn't understand you." The waitress pointed to Jack's picture and said, "John. You must be the reason his eyes are so sad and he is running away."

Flustered and confused Samantha said, "This is Jack…Jack Malone…not John…" and then the lights came on and she nodded her head in understanding, saying, "He called himself John. His full name is John Michael Malone. We all know him as Jack. I'm Samantha Spade and I work with him….no, I love him and I hurt him and I forced him away. I've been searching for him and I need so badly to find him to see if he will forgive me. Would you please tell me where he is staying?" The waitress studied the beauty with puffy eyes and tear-stained cheeks and tried to decide what to do.

TBC


	8. Chapter 8

It is thrilling to know you enjoy ready this little novelette...musings of my mind as it were. Oh yes, Makemyday, you requested a happy reunion. Well, you know things are never that easy for our favorite lovestruck agents.

As you left last, Samantha was trying to get the waitress to tell her where Jack was staying. And the story continues...

**Chapter 8 – You Can Run But You Can't Hide**

Jack spent the day hiking around the lake and fishing. He was trying to enjoy his time outdoors, and as long as he could keep Samantha out of his mind, he did fine….but that only worked for a few moments at a time. His heart still held a dull ache that wasn't going away even though he was trying mightily to move on and not think of what he let slip through his hands. But no matter how hard he tried, the bottom line was still the same; he was miserable. The mere thought of never seeing her again seemed to choke off his air supply and he felt parts of him dying inside.

He finally snapped out of his thoughts and shook his head. Checking his watch, he saw it was pushing 3 pm and he figured he would head on back to the cabin and see about supper. He packed up his fishing tackle and casually made his way back. He made a mental note to call his girls when he got back to the cabin. He didn't have visitation rights for two more weeks and wasn't sure what he would do. He wondered if the team would contact Maria on his whereabouts. After the nasty deposition, it was clear that no one on the team had much respect for Maria anymore. He smiled wryly at the thought of Martin going to question Maria and both of them taking turns bashing him for hours on end.

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She drove slowly up the steep road until the little cabin came into view. She saw a Jeep parked out front, but didn't see any movement outside. She sat in the car a few moments, her mind reeling with anticipation. What would she say? What would she do? The image of his face as the elevator doors slid closed was burned into her mind and she shook her head to clear it away. Then a painful smile tugged at her lips when she realized she had put that pain into his face and shaking her head wasn't going to take it away. She had to see him. She had to gain his trust. She had to take the pain away. She had to convince him she truly loved him and she was so sorry that it took chasing him away to make her see the truth.

Taking a deep breath, she walked towards the porch, wondering if he was watching her through a window. Her hand shook as she knocked on the cabin door and listened for any response. When there was no answer, she slowly tried the door and found it unlocked. Stepping inside, she quickly looked around and called out, "Jack? Jack are you here? It's me……Sam". Only silence answered her back. She tentatively stepped inside, glancing over her shoulder one more time and feeling as if she was doing something illegal.

She saw a coffee cup on the counter, a rumpled newspaper on the sofa, ashes in the fireplace, and a few dishes in the sink. She felt strangely excited knowing he was still here and that he was near. Venturing further into the tiny cabin and turning left, she found the bedroom and bathroom. The bathroom had towels on the floor and water splashes on the mirror by his toothbrush. Smiling, she remembered the days when they were together and how she always ragged on how sloppy and "wet" he got the entire bathroom with one quick shower. She swore he had never hung a towel up in his life.

Turning her attention to the bed, she took two quiet steps and surveyed the scene. Of course, it was not made (another non-domestic trait of Jack's) some jeans tossed at the foot of the bed with a T-shirt and blue flannel shirt. The pillow still had an indention where his head had been and there was a strand of black hair against the stark white pillowcase. As if in a trance, she slowly reached for the pillow and cradled it to her chest, laying her head softly against the fabric and breathing in his scent. A lump caught in her throat as her mind whirled with images of Jack flashing quickly through her memory. This time the images were of Jack smiling, holding her hand, teasing her, kissing her, making sweet passionate love to her. The lump disappeared and a quiet calm came over her, making her feel safe and warm for the first time in months.

With resolve and determination, she went out on the porch and took a seat in a rocking chair near the front door. She would wait for Jack to come back to her. She would wait for as long as it took. She would not leave without him.

An hour waiting on the front porch flew by with the relaxing sunshine, clean air, peaceful quiet, breeze through the trees, and singing birds. Once she caught herself as her head snapped up, causing her to alertly look around, wondering if she had actually been sleeping, and if so, for how long. Stretching her legs, she saw some movement in the direction of the path leading down to the lake. Her heart began to pound wildly as she saw someone walking along the edge of the treeline toward the cabin. She would recognize that gait anywhere……it was Jack!

With his head down, he had on faded jeans, hiking boots, a green flannel shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, sunglasses and a baseball cap pulled low over his eyes. He was carrying a fishing pole and tackle box and strolling along easily. As he came further out of the trees, he still hadn't spotted her or her vehicle. Watching him and trying to control her breathing, something kept nagging at her. Something was "off" about him. When he raised his head slightly to avoid a tree branch, it suddenly hit her. Jack was growing a beard!

About that time, he saw the strange vehicle and quickly dropped the fishing equipment and went into a crouch back into the trees. At the same time, he instinctively reached his right hand to where his holster would have been. She giggled watching him and said to herself, "Oh Jack, you can run, but you will always be an FBI Agent". Fearing he would retreat into the woods, she slowly stood up and moved to the edge of the porch in plain view. She swore her heart would explode in her chest as she watched the recognition wash over his face. She almost cried when his face showed no emotion

He slowly stood up and moved away from the trees, taking a few steps into the clearing, but then he stopped. He looked at her car, then back at her, then let his eyes sweep the area all around the cabin. Suddenly very nervous and thinking this was a bad idea, she hesitated before taking another step forward. He rubbed his palms on his jeans and ever so slowly he moved toward the cabin, never taking his eyes off Samantha. When he got to the bottom of the stairs, he stopped and looked up at her. She couldn't see his eyes through the shades, but his jaw was clenched and his face was tense. Her ears heard but her mind didn't understand when in a cold voice he said, "You shouldn't have come here. You shouldn't be here. Get in your car and please leave me alone."

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9 – Never Say Never**

In her mind she envisioned what their reunion would be like. He would run to her, take her in his arms, and devour her with kisses, all the while smiling and promising never to leave her again. Instead she stood trembling in his anger and resentment. Her heart was shattered and quickly crumbling along with her hopes and dreams. She had devastated him and now he was devastating her.

Unable to face his glare any longer, she ducked her head and dug her hand in her pocket to find her keys. Moving down the steps, she stood in front of him and willed herself to lift her face to his. With trembling hands, she moved to take off his sunglasses. She had to look in his eyes even though her heart feared what she would see.

He jerked his head back, but she whispered, "Please Jack. If you won't talk to me, at least let your eyes tell me goodbye." She saw his jaw twitch just a hair and saw— or maybe willed herself to imagine—his face relax a little. He lowered his head but moved his hand up and slowly removed the glasses. Ever so slowly, she continued moving her hand toward his face and gently placed her index finger under his chin. Between the sensations of her hand shaking uncontrollably, the feel of his soft beard on her fingers, and his hot and ragged breath on her hand, she honestly thought she would pass out. Lifting his face, she finally looked into his eyes.

If a picture paints a thousand words, Jack's eyes wrote a book. They bombarded her with pain, anger, fear, hopelessness, sorrow, regret, tenderness, longing, respect, admiration, and—yes—love. She gasped for air and choked on a sob. He moved her hand off his chin with his touch causing that undeniable current to course through them both. But he dropped her hand and said with such sadness, "Okay, you've reduced me down to nothing. I'm on my knees.You win. Go move forward with your life. Goodbye, Samantha."

As he moved to walk up the steps, his words snapped her mind in gear. Suddenly filled with the need and energy to fight to the end for this man, she took a deep breath and said in a shaky voice, "You can't get rid of me that easily, John Michael Malone. I'm not leaving this cabin without you." Shaking his head wearily, he leaned against the porch post, crossed his arms and studied the beautiful woman standing defiantly before him. She watched his face relax a tiny bit more and convinced herself she was making progress. She knew he loved her like no other, but this was going to be difficult—especially after the blow up in the office with Martin. Kicking herself for letting foolish pride come to this, she stuck her chin out a little further and met his gaze.

After what seemed like forever, he finally murmured, "How did you find me?" She allowed a little smile as she tilted her head toward him and said in a conspiratorial voice, "Well, I _do_ work for the Missing Persons unit of the FBI. And, I've learned from the absolute best in the business how to profile someone and track them down. It feels very good to find someone…especially when your heart is invested in the missing person." He saw the twinkle in her eye and felt stupid for asking the question, especially after her smart-assed response. Allowing a quick smile, he ducked his head, hoping she wouldn't see her ability to put chinks in his armor.

"Talk to me, please", she said.

Fighting the incredible urge to fall under the power she had over him, he moved away, gruffly saying, "There isn't anymore that needs to be said between us. We've said it all before and look where it got us." Feeling the sting of his words, she pressed on, following behind as he paced to the end of the porch and slumped into a chair, putting his back to her and staring off to the woods. Undaunted by his rebuff, she stood over him and put her hands on her hips. "Listen to what you just said, Jack. You just used the term "us" twice in a matter of seconds. And do you want to know why? Because that is what you and I are…we are "us." We have been for years. We aren't two separate people. Granted we've fought like hell against it and I can't answer why. But at the end of every trial, it always comes back to "us".

Unable to resist her rantings, he looked at her and said, "I'm sorry. I wasn't listening. Could you repeat that?" and then tried to hide a smile. Feeling like she had just won an Olympic medal, she punched his arm, and then crouched next to his chair. She laid her hand on his shoulder and said, "Why don't you go get packed and come home with me." When she said "home", something inside him clicked and he immediately sobered. Leaning away from her touch, he said, "No. That isn't going to happen."

With frustrations mounting from the emotional roller coaster ride, she asked why but got no response. After staring at him in silence for a while, without warning she leaned up and kissed his cheek. He snapped his head away and growled, "Do NOT do that again." She counted to five, and then did it again. He shot her his best 'go-to-hell' look and sighed with exasperation, then got up but realized he had pinned himself into a corner and had nowhere to go, so he perched himself on the porch railing, leaning back against the house. He looked over the edge and seriously contemplated jumping the five feet to the ground to get away from her, knowing full well his knee would collapse and the pain would last for days. But Motrin could dull the knee pain while nothing could dull the pain searing through his heart and the fire burning on his cheek from her kiss.

His mind reeled with how much he loved this gorgeous woman, but he refused to be the one to hold her back anymore. Not even if she tracked him down to a remote cabin hours north of New York. She read the battle going on in his eyes and softly said, "Talk to me Jack," and took his hand as she sat in the chair he just vacated.

Her pursuit, soft touch, and tender voice finally became his undoing and he slowly squeezed her hand and got lost in her eyes. He searched for any sign of regret or question and got none. Feeling the last bit of fight leave his chest, he closed his eyes, took a breath and struggled to ask, "Wha…Wha…..What about Martin? He would… take care of you and…and….be a steady influence and…um…..provide financial stability with his….. family ties." He realized he stammered through that little bit and it hurt like hell to hear himself say those words, but he had to get her to realize he was no good for her. He couldn't look at her when she answered, so he stared back out to the woods.

Feeling her heart being squeezed by this man's presence and listening to him lay his soul out with no holds barred made her feel things she had no idea she was even capable of feeling. She knew he would hang on every syllable of her answer, so she took her time and tried to form just the right words in her mind before saying anything.

TBC


	10. Chapter 10

For all you fantastically loyal reviewers out there...you are awesome! If you have written a Fanfic before, you know exactly what I mean. If you haven't, well trust me, it is a really great feeling to read reviews! I'm hoping this chapter meets with your approval.

As you left the last chapter, Jack had asked Samantha about her relationship with Martin. He was waiting for her response as we continue now with...

**Chapter 10 – The Touch**

The hesitation in her response was like a ton of bricks pressing on his chest and he fought the sting building in his eyes, blinking to try and keep them clear.

Finally, she realized her command of the English language would never get her message across. So she stood and released his hand, causing his heart to stampede. But then she moved as close to him as possible, put her hands on his chest, closed her eyes, and touched her lips to his in the most tender moment he had ever felt.

Not knowing what that touch meant, it was his turn to say, "Please, talk to me Sam." She pulled his baseball cap off, ran her fingers through his hair and said, "I want you to take care of me. You are my steady influence. I'm a pretty low maintenance kind of girl and don't need a lot of money. Sometimes family is not all it is cracked up to be. And, when the lights finally came on for me before I left to look for you, I made sure Martin knew he did not have a place in my life much less my heart. I only have room for one man in my heart, and that one man is you Jack. I love you…..I have for years."

By then both of them had misty eyes and grateful smiles. He turned on the railing to bring her close to his chest, wrapped his arms around her, and buried his head in her hair. He was clinging to her as if she were his lifeline to keep him from dropping into oblivion and saying over and over again, "I love you….I love you…..I love you."

She held on to the man that understood her completely as she buried her head in his neck and tried desperately to have not one millimeter of space between them all the while repeating, "I'm sorry...I'm so sorry...I'm sorry."

After a while of simply holding each other, she pulled back slightly and found her heart fluttering when she looked into his eyes that bore into hers with complete adoration. They simultaneously bent in for a slow and lingering kiss that ended with both of them smiling into each other's lips.

"Hey," he said softly, "thank you for being such a good FBI agent and finding me." She said, "Yeah well, it wasn't easy you know. I'm surprised you stooped to this attempt at going incognito," as she rubbed his bearded cheeks and moustache. "I'll go shave right now," and he stood to move, but she caught his arms and said, "No, I kind of like it. It's soft and tickles a bit when we kiss." After holding each other for a while longer, he took her into the cabin to show her around and they talked about getting some supper, deciding to go into Lindseyton for a date without prying eyes to make them wary.

He went to her car to get her travel bag while she jumped in the shower to freshen up. Walking back into the cabin, he busied himself with cleaning up the kitchen while he listened to her humming in the shower. He was amazed at how he went from being so miserable to so happy in the space of a few hours—all because of one spunky blonde firecracker. He was snapped out of his reverie by her voice calling him to please come kill the spider in the sink. But, the sight of her standing wrapped in a towel fresh out of the shower stirred him immediately and his tongue was suddenly three inches thick and his mouth was powder dry. She giggled at his lust-filled eyes and breezed past him while patting his butt and telling him to get cleaned up because she was starving.

Moaning theatrically and clutching his heart, he smiled seductively as he started taking off his shirt. While he showered, Samantha started to get dressed, looked toward the bathroom and thought about sliding under the covers to wait, but changed her mind. No, she thought; we will have the rest of our lives to make love. But when he walked out of the shower with a towel around his waist and a grin on his face, she thought she probably just made a big mistake.

He quickly dressed again in jeans, boots, and a soft cotton shirt. After a splash of aftershave, he grabbed a jacket and went into the living room to see her in tight jeans, black boots, a tight black turtleneck sweater, red lipstick, and her hair falling loosely over her shoulders. Reminding himself to breathe, he wondered if he would ever get used to her beauty.

They chatted easily and laughed at silly things on the drive into town. Jack parked on the edge of the one-horse town and they strolled hand-in-hand past the little storefronts. He laughed at Samantha wanting to come back the next day to shop for souvenirs.

When the two walked into Lillie's Diner, a slight hush fell on the small crowd as they saw the handsome couple. Lillie walked up with menus and looked at Jack, then Samantha, then back to Jack and smiled warmly as she welcomed them to the diner. She watched him place his hand on the beautiful blonde woman's back to guide her to a booth by the window. Lillie said, "It's good to see you, John. You're looking well today," and winked as she nodded her head toward Samantha. He smiled sheepishly and introduced Samantha to Lillie, referring to Lillie as the best cook in the entire Northeast and referring to Samantha as a truly beautiful person.

After dinner, they strolled down the street to the town square linked arm-in-arm. Lillie had told them the annual Lindseyton Festival was in full bloom. After riding the ferris wheel, he won her a stuffed flamingo by knocking down milk bottles. She hugged it tightly and excitedly jumped up and down like a little girl, proclaiming Jack as her big, strong, handsome hero. He just rolled his eyes and told her to cut it out. As they made their way through the festival, they stopped for a cotton candy. The young vendor smiled at them and, while handing Jack his change, she asked, "So how long have you two been married? It is so good to see couples in love these days, you know, with the world in the mess that it is and all."

Jack froze without an answer, but Samantha spoke up, saying they weren't married……_yet_, causing him to pick her up and twirl her around, proclaiming loudly, "I love this woman!" With her arms wrapped around his neck and his arms snuggly around her waist, she raised one eyebrow and said, "Then why don't you take me back to the cabin and show me just how much you love me?" The smile on his face stretched ear-to-ear as he assured her it would be his pleasure to do just that for the rest of his life.

After stopping for a bottle of wine at Buddy's Grocery Mart, their drive back to the little cabin was one filled with comfortable silence but with a heavily charged and electric atmosphere. She snuggled under his arm as the night air was getting rather chilly, especially in the Jeep. They lazily wandered up the cabin steps and lingered on the porch just outside the door in a warm hug, whispering sweet little nothings to each other.

Jack went to work building a fire to warm the cabin, laughing at his hands that where trembling just a tad. Meanwhile, Samantha opened the wine and found two juice glasses that would have to do and tried not to let them clink against one another as her hands visibly shook.

TBC


	11. Chapter 11

A/N: Thanks for enjoying the tenderness of the last chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. I guess a bit of a warning would go with this chapter, although I tried to make the love scene "tasteful" and leave more to the imagination. Oh yes, a bit of language later on.

**Chapter 11 – Longing No More**

Leaning against the mantle, he watched intently as she walked into the bedroom, smiling sweetly over her shoulder and saying she would be right back. He winked and promised to be right there waiting for her. Slipping off his boots, the anticipation of making love to Samantha was about to send him over the edge. She walked…no, she slinked …. back into the room in a black lace teddy that did things to Jack he hadn't experienced in 45 years on earth. She turned out the light and moved toward him slowly as the shadows of the fire danced around her in the tiny cabin. Her seduction was madness as his mind went completely blank and his body was frozen in one spot.

The haze lifted a bit when she came to lean against his body and delicately played with his hair and neck. When she tiptoed up to nuzzle his ear, his out-of-body experience continued as he heard someone moan and felt someone's hands shaking as one caressed her back while the other caressed her backside. Trying desperately to breathe, he looked into her half-lidded eyes that burned with desire and an incredible sexiness. He was vaguely aware that his lips were moving, but no sound was coming out. She pulled his head down and nibbled at his lips and neck, causing a searing and hot sensation to course through his veins. His mind finally engaged enough to allow his mouth to find hers in a kiss that officially sent him in a tailspin.

She worked on the buttons on his shirt while he fumbled with his belt buckle, but she stopped his hands and murmured, "No, let me do that." He nodded obediently, noting that his voice was still nowhere to be found. As she slowly continued to undress her sexy man, he finally found his voice and said her name over and over as he took her out of the lingerie. They parted slightly when they both were bare and he said, "Look at me, sweetheart."

As she did what he asked, he put a hand tenderly on each side of her face and while never breaking eye contact, he slowly let each hand travel lightly down her body, then knelt down to reach all the way down her legs. As he repeated the process back up her body, he also kissed his way along, and this officially sent her in a tailspin. She went limp in his arms as he guided her to the bedroom where they made love like tomorrow would not arrive.

Later, they snuggled on the couch under a quilt, watching the fire and sipping the wine she opened hours ago. They talked about everything from the cabin's location to the world's economy, but never mentioned the FBI. The next day they strolled down with a picnic lunch and took a canoe out to a little island in the center of the lake.

Stretched out on a blanket and enjoying the warm sun tingling on their skin in contrast to the chilly air, he said, "You know, this is Sam's Lake. Hmmph, I guess that made it a lot easier for you to find me." She just rolled her eyes and poked his belly. After a little silence, he said, "I guess we should talk about what happens next. I mean, you haven't reported to the office since you got here. I'm sure they are worried about you. My career is shot, but we need to make sure yours is still intact." It dawned on her he had no idea of how she got there. It was clear from his comments he thought she was on official business.

She shifted to a sitting position while laying his head in her lap. As she stroked his hair, she said, "Jack, you need to know that I'm not here as an FBI agent. I told Van Doren I had to find you and she begrudgingly gave me three days personal leave along with the weekend. So, I need to be back the day after tomorrow or she will can me."

Propping up on an elbow, he said, "Oh, Sam, you should have never have done that…..OPR is going to be all over you. I will certainly miss being an agent, but maybe that is not such a bad thing after all because if I'm not your supervisor, the damned job won't dictate our relationship anymore."

She chuckled and said, "You know what, fuck Farrell and the horse he rode in on. Maybe I will just turn in my badge when we get back and start over with you. Besides, Van Doren might just welcome you back and kick my butt to the curb anyway." They laughed at that and proceeded to enjoy the picnic and solitude; both of them felt the unwelcome realization that their temporary paradise was coming to an end.

When they got back to the cabin, they went into town to pick up some groceries for dinner, since Jack promised he would grill steaks for them. They also stopped by Lillie's Diner and Buddy's Grocery Mart as Jack wanted to say thanks for their kindness during his stay. Lillie hugged both of them and told Samantha she was glad the sadness in John's eyes has been replaced with a sparkle. After promising to visit again one day, they headed back to the lake, stopping by Bob's to settle the bill and thank him for a wonderful time.

After dinner they took a stroll down to the lake for one last moment of quiet before the next day took them back to the city. Of course, they made love that night and woke the next morning to pack and head out. Jack said he needed to shave his beard and moustache, but Samantha begged him to keep it, proclaiming she loved it and how it felt against her skin.

TBC


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: Well, my little fluff story is coming to an end. I'm posting the last two chapters together. I'm not much on constant angst...I get enough of that in real life; so, I'm a die hard fan of the happy ending.

I've had a blast doing this and again, really appreciate **Mariel; AgentSpade; JBird; Pealee; Makemyday; Carbyfan, Tiatian Wang**, and **Serataja** for hanging with me to the end. Can't say as I'll ever try it again...but maybe Season 4 will inspire me! Thanks again and enjoy life. JoS

**Chapter 12 – Reality Comes Back Around**

Sunday evening found him back in New York City in his apartment. He mixed a drink, then sat down to phone Van Doren. Grateful to get her answering machine, he said, "Hey Paula, this is Jack. I…umm I guess I need to see you tomorrow. I will…umm…I will bring you my badge, credentials, weapon, keys, and whatever accountable items I have and…umm well, I guess HR will take care of the rest. Oh, yeah…Agent Spade is fine and will be at work tomorrow. Listen, Paula, I know I'm not in any position to ask for favors, but go easy on her…please. She's a damned good agent and you know it. Don't let her feelings for me taint your decision on what you do to her. Thanks, Paula. Call me if you need anything. I'm at home. See you tomorrow."

Next he dialed Samantha to wish her sweet dreams, tell her he loved her and that he would try and see her sometime tomorrow, but couldn't promise anything. He hung up, rubbed his hand through his hair, sighed and thought how tomorrow was going to be the day from hell.

Jack walked through the front doors at 7 am, thinking it would be the last time. He rode the elevator up to Van Doren's floor and found his pace slowing as he got closer to her office. He leaned into her doorway, knocking as he did. She looked up from her computer, looking at him like he was a stranger, then her eyes sparked and she said, "Oh my God, Jack! Geez! What is that on your face?" He instantly rubbed his jaw, forgetting that he had adjusted to the beard while it was quite a change for everyone else. He smiled now, remembering the strange look he got from Willy at the security desk.

Walking into the office and taking a seat, he answered solemnly, "Well, many things are changing with me Paula." With that, he placed all his accountable items on her desk, met her eyes and said, "I don't see any reason to make this nasty for anyone. Just please go easy on Agent Spade…..as one last favor before I finally get out of your hair."

Van Doren's face was impassive as she watched his. Finally she said, "Jaaack. You have built a brilliant career; yes, you have had some screw ups, but your solve record is impeccable and the Bureau needs you as Supervisory Agent. Don't throw it all away."

He was shocked at her response but rolled his shoulders and said, "If I stay, Agent Spade will always be under a microscope and Farrell will always be breathing down my neck. Life is too short for that, Paula. But she doesn't need to know about this conversation." Nodding her head she said, "So let me get this straight, Jack. Are you telling me you would end your career to save Agent Spade's?" He looked her straight in the eye, nodded and said, "In a heartbeat, yes, I would do that for her." Puffing air into her hair, she shook her head and pressed her fingertips together. "Tell you what, Jack. Take the morning off and go for a walk or something and think about this. Be back here around noon and we will talk some more."

After he left, Van Doren shook her head and lamented to herself that she needed some time off. Checking her watch, she pressed the intercom and said, "Agent Spade, I will see you now" and waited for the blonde agent to enter her office. Of course, Samantha had no idea Jack had just left, but she had requested the meeting with Van Doren and knew exactly what she was doing. "What can I do for you, Agent Spade?" she asked rather cautiously. Samantha took a deep breath, held onto the chair, steeled her self and said, "I would like to speak with you about either a transfer or resignation."

Floored by her statement, Van Doren said, "What? Agent Spade, you are doing very well in this unit; aside from some OPR issues, your record is looking very good. Why are you doing this?" Okay, she thought, here comes the hard part. "It is quite simple, Agent Van Doren. As long as I'm here, Agent Malone will be a constant target by DC and Farrell. Agent Malone is the best for missing persons and you know it and he loves his job. So I need to be removed from the picture. And, no, he doesn't know I'm here. Matter of fact, he would most likely not approve of my actions."

Paula couldn't believe her ears. Spade was doing the same thing Jack had just done. Putting their career behind them to save the other's. She asked the next question, knowing full well what the answer would be, "So let me get this straight. Are you telling me you would end your career to save Agent Malone's?" Samantha looked her straight in the eye, nodded and said, "In a heartbeat, yes, I would do that for him." With the incredible sense of dejavu, she told Samantha the same thing she told Jack, dismissed her and started making a pile of phone calls. She had till noon to set the stage.

Unbeknownst to each other, Jack and Samantha wandered around the streets of New York lost in their own thoughts. At 11:45, Jack entered the building and filled out the form to get a visitor badge from Willy at the security desk since he left his badge with Paula. He went to her office and was waiting for her to get off the phone, when Samantha walked up and got immediately nervous seeing Jack already sitting in front of Van Doren's desk. She turned to go, but Van Doren caught her eye and motioned her in while finishing up the call. Sitting next to Jack, Samantha smiled quickly and mumbled, "Hello, Agent Malone." Jack did the same wondering what in the hell was going on.

Van Doren looked from one agent to the other and said, "So, you two have provided yet another interesting managerial problem for me. As agents, you two work incredibly well as a team and your solve rate within the unit is off the charts. However, outside of work, your relationship continues to hit the radar screens. After my discussions with you this morning (this caused both of them to glance at each other), I learned that each of you is willing to give up their career for the other person……and both of you have the exact same reason for doing such."

With that news, Jack turned to Samantha and said, "No, I won't let you do that. I've already been responsible for screwing up so much of your life. I won't let this happen too. You are a damned good agent and you love your job." Throwing caution to the wind, she answered, "And what about you Jaa…Agent Malone. You have worked so hard to get to where you are and you love your job too."

Flashing a look at Paula, Jack shook his head and thought to himself, oh what the hell….."Yes, I love my job, but I love you so much more." Samantha was floored by his statement in front of Van Doren and looked nervously at the unit supervisor to try and read her reaction. She was shocked when she saw a small smile on Van Doren's traditionally stoic face. Looking back to Jack, she placed her hand on his arm, smiled and said, "Back at ya."

Van Doren cleared her throat and said, "So, here is my dilemma. I lose one or both of my best agents or I come up with some ingenious way to make this work and save everyone's career. Now understanding the need to have brilliant agents around me to make the unit look good, I'm not in favor of letting either of you walk out the door.

I've called in some favors and arranged for Farrell to be assigned to another district…at a supervisory level, of course, to keep him quiet in return. As far as DC goes, the only problematic link I see is Agent Fitzgerald's father. And, the only way for Deputy Fitzgerald to know anything concrete, or even rumored, is through his son. So, I've had a lengthy discussion with Agent Fitzgerald, who has promised to keep things in our own house so long as I am generous with a recommendation when a promotion slot comes open."

Jack and Samantha couldn't believe what they were hearing. After all that happened, things were going to be just fine? But Van Doren continued in a more tense voice, "Agent Malone, I need your word that your relationship with Agent Spade during work hours is strictly work related and completely above board." He nodded and said, "You have my word, Agent Van Doren." Turning to Samantha she said, "And you, Agent Spade, I need your word that your relationship with Agent Malone during work hours is strictly work related and completely above board." She too nodded and said, "You have my word, Agent Van Doren."

"Good, now let me hear that from Jack and Samantha." They both smiled at Van Doren, then each other and nodded their concurrence. "I mean it, Jack. I don't even want to see you open a door for her!" she said as they made their way out of Van Doren's office. At that, he stopped and waited for Samantha to come open the door for him, causing Paula to throw a paper wad at him. He grinned like a kid but then sobered and told Paula, "Thank you…I promise you won't regret what you just did for us." Van Doren nodded and said, "That is good to hear. Now get to your unit and get to work. Your staff has been shorthanded for the better part of a week while you two have been 'finding' each other."

TBC...one more chapter to go.


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13 – Do You Believe In Happy Endings?**

Samantha walked to her desk and braced for the barrage of questions. Danny didn't disappoint by bouncing over and saying, "Well look who is back, everyone! If it's not our Lone Ranger agent. You sure are looking rested and rather smug, I might add." She grinned at her friend and said sweetly, "Shove it, Taylor," and hugged his neck while looking over his shoulder to see Viv smiling and Martin staring stone-faced.

As they all sat around the conference table, Danny asked, "So did your training come in handy? Were you able to find our errant but fearless leader?" "Is he OK?" Viv asked with a little more concern in her voice. After telling them she was able to find Jack (leaving out 85 percent of the details) and he was finishing up a discussion with Van Doren, she was finally able to catch Martin's eye. Being ever observant, Danny and Vivian gave them some space and busied themselves with paperwork at their desks.

Giving him a small smile, Samantha told him, "Look, Martin, please believe me when I say I never meant to hurt you. You are kind and gentle and a very good man. You are going to make some woman out there so happy one day….but we both know I'm not that woman. I need to thank you for making me finally get a hold of my feelings and quit running from them." Then she opened her arms and said, "Friendship hug?" Martin slowly took his hands out of his pockets and returned her hug, telling her he would never use his knowledge of Jack and her against them in any way. She squeezed his arm for a thank you. Martin then went to the breakroom and brought back the leftover cake from the morning birthday celebration for Tricia over in HR.

As they all sat around the conference table eating Italian Crème cake and chatting about whatever came to mind, Jack came walking around the corner to a chorus of "what the!" and "holy cow!" and "look at you!" when they all saw his silky dark beard and moustache. Danny couldn't resist popping up, grinning like a Cheshire cat and reaching out to touch Jack's cheek. Jack promptly grabbed his hand and said, "Don't push it, Taylor," while smiling at his young agent.

Danny sat back down next to Samantha and couldn't resist saying, "Geez, sister, are you having an allergic reaction or something? You have this new rash on your neck and cheeks." Then without missing a beat he said, "Nice beard, Jack. Is it rough?" Samantha blushed immediately and punched Danny as hard as she could. Jack turned a bit crimson himself, but cleared his throat and said in a fake bravado, "That is number two already, Agent Taylor, and I've only been back five minutes. Care to see what happens with number three?"

They spent the rest of the day working cold cases and finalizing reports. Vivian, Danny and even Martin each took a moment during the day to stop by Jack's office to welcome him back. Jack was able to sneak a wink at Samantha as she went to the file room and she was able to blow him a kiss. She loved the way he caught the kiss and pressed it to his heart.

Because his desk was piled very high with backlogged paperwork, Jack worked several hours later than his staff. Finally, he lost the battle of keeping thoughts of his woman out of his head, so he packed up and headed home. After dinner, Samantha settled in to watch her favorite show _CSI: Vegas. _Jack teased her, saying he refused to watch it with her because all she did was swoon over Grissom and it hurt his feelings. Instead, he gave her a peck on the cheek and said he was going to jump in the shower.

Samantha lost track of time because Grissom was in almost every scene, but she finally realized Jack had been gone quite long. She called out, "Hey, honey, are you going to come snuggle with me for awhile?" "I'll be there in a bit," he called back and soon came to sit next to her wearing only boxers.

Waiting for a commercial break, Samantha finally looked over for a kiss and let out a screech. Jack had shaved off most of the beard, leaving a Van Dyke look that was incredibly handsome and sexy. He grinned sheepishly and said, "What do you think? A little more conservative for work?" His answer came in the form of her climbing into his lap while covering all the freshly shaved area with little kisses and nibbles. When she finally locked onto his lips, he said, muffled by her mouth, "I'll take that as a yes." Of course, her answer also led to some sweet lovemaking before they drifted off to sleep with her spooned up close to his chest.

The next day at work, the witty and charming Danny couldn't resist commenting that, "Samantha's rash seemed to be better and oh, look! Jack shaved some of his beard off," earning him another pop from her and a glare from him.

And so, time went by and the team continued to work flawlessly together. Jack accepted a promotion in another division, allowing them to finally take the veil off their relationship. And it was just in time too, because Samantha made him cry one evening soon after, telling him she was carrying their child. Their quiet wedding was followed by the birth of their beautiful dark-haired baby boy and, as they say in the movies, they lived happily ever after.

The End


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